Xytron warns of DIY data recovery, opening hard drives in non clean room conditions

Hereford, 28 July 2014 - Xytron Ltd, a leading data recovery services company, reports today that many consumers and businesses are attempting DIY retrieval of their data to failed media and physically opening the disk enclosure in nonclean room conditions, thus compounding any potential recovery. Further to this it has been noted that the PCBs (Printed Circuit Board) are also being replaced in an attempt to gain access to data.
All magnetic storage media are manufactured in clean room conditions and to exacting tolerances, often less than 1 Micron tolerances. Opening the disk in standard room conditions will introduce airborne particulate into the drive. If the HDD is powered back up following the non clean room opening it will cause the heads to crash, that is scrape or damage the drive surface (platter(s)) and head stack assembly, which in extreme cases could render the data unrecoverable.
The PCB holds very specific information relating to the disk it is controlling, and so swapping or exchanging this will not help; in fact in some instances this could destroy any chances of data recovery completely, as the NV_RAM and or adaptive data could be written to the hard drive.
Why risk it?
The internet is a huge resource and a wonderful place for information and knowledge, however there has to be a caveat applied here, where or how can you qualify, what information is correct and from a trustworthy source? Anecdotal evidence should not be applied, here are just a few dangerous suggestions found online that should NOT be applied;
1.   Open hard disk up
2.   Replace PCB
3.   Bang or knock drive
4.   Format or system restore
5.   Place in freezer
6.   Download software from the internet
7.   Let friends or colleagues investigate
With 10 years and thousands of procedures carried out, Xytron has the skills and the engineers to attempt the very complex work of data retrieval which includes physical work inside the clean room, electronic failure, firmware failure and logical failure; in all instances the firm has the equipment and knowledge to tackle data failures professionally.
“The process at Xytron is; diagnosis, this establishes whether the media has logical, firmware, physical and or electronic failure”, comments Richard Cuthbertson head technician at Xytron, “from here the device is moved to the relevant department for the next stage, such as the clean room if the HSA (head stack assembly) has failed and the disk has physical issues, the hot air station for electronic work, and a recovery station for firmware and logical issues, following this work a write blocking full bit by bit clone is made of the device, it is this image that the engineers work with to retrieve the data”.
The final part of the process is to email the client our IntegriCheck software which is a folder and file listing of recovered data; this allows the client to check all information has been retrieved.
Here are a few key points from Xytron services;
1.   10 years successful trading
2.   Tens of thousands of cases handled
3.   In house clean room
4.   No outsourcing of any cases
5.   Free to join partner programme
6.   Huge inventory of parts stock
7.   Satisfied testimonial database
8.   Have seen your issue and dealt with it successfully
9.   Data held securely and promptly erased securely following the case